Exercising apparatus



June l, 1943. A, w. TURNER ET AL EXERCISING APPARATUS gli 623 il? i j? fa \z i June 1, l1943. A. w. TURNER ETAL EXERCISING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 26, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 1, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EXERCISING APPARATUS Alfred W. Turner, Philadelphia, and Thomas V.

Greene, Upper Darby, Pa., assignors to Exercycle Corporation, New York, N. Y.

8 Claims.

This invention relates to exercising apparatus, and it relates more particularly to that type of apparatus in which the combined motions of a rowing machine and bicycle are employed for the purpose of exercising a multiplicity of muscles of the user at one and the same time.

The apparatus of the present invention is preferably so constructed that the various parts may be motor driven, although if desired the motor driving mechanism may be omitted and the apparatus actuated by the efforts of the user. Also the apparatus is so organized that if desired, the crank pedal mechanism employed as a part thereof may be removed and the apparatus operated by the motor without the pedal action.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an exercising apparatus of the character aforesaid which will be simple and efficient in its operation yet relatively inexpensive in construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character aforesaid which may be readily adjusted to persons of various sizes, whereby the same may have a greater range of usefulness than the machines at present in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in apparatus of the character aforesaid, improved means for supporting the seat and causing the same to rock to vthe proper extent during the operation whereby a proper tilting of the seat in its various positions may be obtained.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in apparatus of the character aforesaid, in which the seat, handle bars, and crank pedals have coordinated movements, improved mechanism for obtaining the desired motions of the several parts.

The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an exercising machine embodying the main features of the present invention, certain portions thereof being broken away to illustrate the construction and arrangement more clearly;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation enlarged of the lower part of the front end of the machine; and

Fig, 3 is a vertical section enlarged taken approximately on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

It will be course be understood that the description and drawings herein are illustrative merely, and that various modications and changes may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the inventionl Referring to the drawings, in the particular embodiment of the invention therein shown, 5 is a base member which may consist of a heavy wooden plank upon which the various parts of the apparatus are suitably mounted. The base member 5 may be provided with foot members which may consist of spring metal bars 6 extending transversely to the base member 5. Each of said bars 6 is bent over at its ends to form the legs 1, the lower ends of which may be provided with rubber shoes 8. This arrangement will provide a support for the apparatus which will have a certain amount of flexibility, contributing to a certain extent to the comfort of the user, and alsok serving to prevent the transmission of such shocks as may occur with the reversal of movement of the various parts of the apparatus from being transmitted to the building in which the apparatus is used.

Mounted on the base member 5 is a casting IU having a pair of upwardly extending brackets Il which serve as a means for supporting pivot pins I2 and I3. The pivot pin I2 is located near the lower portion of the casting IIJ and serves as a means for pivotally supporting a seat lever I4 which extends upwardly therefrom.

In the upper end of the seat lever i4 there is mounted the seat post I5, having a head member I6 secured thereto, and to which the seat I1 is connected by the pivot pin I8. The seat post I5 is adjustable in the upper end of the seat lever I4, being held in the desired position by tightening the bolt I9 which serves to contract the upper end of the seat lever around the seat post, the upper end of the seat lever l 4 being split for that purpose.

Intermediate the extremities of the seat lever I4 there is provided an extension 20 which carries a pin 2l. Pin 2| serves as a means for journalling a roller 22. The roller 22 bears against the working face of a cam 23 preferably in the form of an .eccentric which is mounted on and keyed to one end of a shaft 24.

The shaft 2e is journalled in a suitable hollow housing 25, and internally disposed within said housing 25 is a worm wheel 26 which is also mounted on and keyed to the shaft 24. The worm wheel 25 is engaged by a suitable worm 2l mounted on and keyed to a shaft 28 which is disposed transversely to the cam shaft 24 and located below the plane thereof.

The worm shaft 28 is also journalled in the hollow housing 25. One end of the Worm shaft 2B projects through the housing 25 and is provided on its outer end with one member 29 of members II, serves as a means of pivotal support of a handle bar lever 40 which also extends upwardly therefrom. A handle bar post 4I is adjustably mounted in the upper end of the lever 4D, being xedly held in any desired position by tightening the bolt 42, which is provided at the split upper end portion of the handle bar lever 40.

The handle bars 43 are also adjustably mounted on the handle bar post 4I, so that the same may be swung to any desired angular position with respect to said handle bar post 4I and held in such position by tightening the bolt 44 at the upper end thereof. The internal construction of the handle bar and post is not shown as the same is well known and commonly used in bicycles and any of such adjustable handle bar structures may be used for this purpose.

The handle bar lever also has at its end adjacent the pivot pin I3, an arm 45 extending bell-crank fashion. The end of the arm 45 is connected by means of a pivot pin 46 to a link 41. The seat lever I 4 is ,provided with a similar pivot pin 48 to which the other end of the link 41 isconnected. The foregoing arrangement is such that when the seat I1 is actuated in one direction by the rotation ol the cam 23 on the shaft 24, the handle bar lever 40, and the handle `bar parts carried thereby, will be synchro nously operated but in a contrary direction.

The handle bar lever 40 is also provided with a lug 50, near the pivot pin I3, by means of which a connecting rod is pivotally connected thereto. Ihe connecting rod comprises two sections, one section 5I being hollow andvin whichY the other section 5,2 is telescopically mounted. The section 52 ofthe connecting rod is adapted to be xedly secured at the desired position in the end of the section 5I by means of the bolt 53 which serves to clamp the same.

The section 52 of the connecting rod is provided with a head portion 54 which is pivotally connected as at 55 to a lug 56 carried by the seat structure at a point some distance in front of the pivotal connection I8 of the seat structure to the head I6 kof the seat post I5. The foregoing arrangement is such that when the seat lever I4 and the handle bar lever 40 are moved toward and away from each other, the seat will be tilted so to bring the same to the most desirable positions with respect to the various other parts of the apparatus during the respective movements of the same.

The shaft 24 upon which the worm wheel is mounted. also carries, on one end thereof, a grooved pulley which is keyed to said shaft. The pulley 60 serves to drive a V belt 6I which in turn drives a grooved pulley 62 mounted on a shaft 63 preferably located in front of the brackets II which serve to support the pivot pins I2 and I3. The shaft 63 has a pedal crank 64 fixedly mounted on each end thereof, each of which isprovided at its end with a pedal 65 of the type commonly used upon bicycles.

Thepedal crank shaft 63 is journalled in a suitable casting 66, the base portion of which is provided with longitudinal ledges 61 which are seated in complemental grooves in an extension` of the casting I0 which supports the other portions of the mechanism. The crank shaft casting 65 is retained against upward displacement by means of the plate members 68 which are bolted to the main base casting I0. The crank Shaft casting 66 is also provided with a lug 69 internally threaded for engagement by a threaded bolt 10. One end of the bolt 10 is journalled in a lug 'I3 extending upwardly from the end of the base of the casting ID and said bolt 10 is restrained against longitudinal movement by means of an enlarged head 1I and a collar 12 respectively Adisposed on each side of the lug 13. The enlarged head 1I of the bolt 10 is provided with handle members 14 whereby the bolt 1IJ may be rotated when desired to shift the pedal crank casting 66 longitudinally .to adjust the tension of the belt 6I. It will of course be understood that, in lieu of the pulleys 60 and 62 and the V belt 6I, a chain and sprocket arrangement rnay be provided similar to that lused on bicycles.

A motor control switch is mounted onthe upper end of one of the upwardly extending brackets II so that the same may be conveniently operated by the user of the apparatus to start and stop the motor while the user is in position on the seat. i

The operation of the apparatus will now be readily understood. 'I'he user first takes his position on the seat with his feet on the pedals and holding the grips carried at the ends of the handle bar. The switch 80 is now operated to start the motor and, upon the worm shaft being thus rotated, the worm wheel 26 will be actuated to cause the rotation of the shaft 24. The cam 23 mounted on the shaft 24 will thus be caused to rotate and the seat lever I4 will be oscillated backwardly and forwardly about its pivot on the pin` I2.

Asrthe seat lever I4 is thus oscillated the link 41, which is pivotally connected thereto and to the handle bar lever 40, will cause the handle bar lever and the handle bars carried thereby to be simultaneously oscillated but in an opposite direction to the movement of the seat lever I4 and the seat I1 carried thereby.

When the movement of the seat and handle bar levers takes place as aforesaid, the connecting rod comprising the sections 5I and 52 will cause the seat to be slightly oscillated with respect to the horizontal about the pivot pin I8 at the upper end of the seat post I5. By connecting the seat in the manner aforesaid to a portion of the handle bar lever, the proper degree of inclination of the seat to the horizontal, at the various positions of the parts, will be obtained, resulting in greater comfort to the user than would be the caseif the seat were rigidly secured on the upperv end of the seat post, or was provided with a parallel motion in amanner similar to that of theparallel motion seesaws which have heretofore been used. As appears in Fig. 1, for instance. the seat tilts forward through an appreciable angle in its downward and rearward movementA pulley 60 will also be rotated in unison therewith and, by means of the belt 6| and pulley 62, the pedal crank shaft 63 will also be rotated, but preferably at a higher rate of speed. When the pedal crank shaft 63 is thus rotated, the pedals 65 carried on the ends of the cranks 64 will of course be rotated in their respective orbits.

It should of course be understood that if desired the motor drive and worm gearing may be omitted whereupon it will be seen that upon the actuation of the pedals 65 by the user, the shaft 24, upon which the cam 23 is mounted, may be rotated by means of the'belt and pulley connection between the shafts 24 and 63 hereinbefore described.

Also if desired, the pedal cranks 64 may be removed, and the seat and handle bar levers actuated without the pedal movement, in which instance, of course, suitable rests (not shown) for the feet of the user would be provided.

We claim:

l. Exercising apparatus comprising supporting structure, a seat lever pivotally mounted directly on said supporting structure, a seat carried by said lever, said seat being longitudinally adjustable with respect to said lever and also pivotally connected thereto, a handle bar lever pivotally mounted directly on said supporting structure, handle bars carried by said lever, said handle bars being variously adjustable with respect to said lever, said handle bar lever also having an extending arm7 a link connection between said seat lever and the extending arm of the handle bar lever to cause the handle bars to be moved in synchronism with the seat but in opposite directions, means for actuating said levers independently of the direct actuation thereof by the user, and a connecting rod pivoted at one end to a portion of the handle bar lever and at the other end to a portion of the seat structure to tilt said seat structure during the actuation of the seat lever and handle bar levers, said connecting rod being adjustable in length to permit the pivotal adjustment of the seat with respect to the seat lever.

2. Exercising apparatus comprising supporting structure, a seat lever pivotally mounted on said suprorting structure, a seat carried by said lever. a handle bar lever pivotally mounted on said supporting structure, handle bars carried by said lever, said handle bar lever also having an extending arm, a link connection between said seat lever and the extending arm of the handle bar lever to cause the handle bars to be moved in synchronism with the seat but in opposite directionsl a rotatable cam, and a roller carried by the seat lever intermediate its ends bearing against said cam whereby the levers will be actuated when said cam is rotated.

3. Exercising apparatus comprising supporting structure, a seat lever pivotally mounted on said supporting structure, a seat carried by said lever, a handle bar lever pivotally mounted on said supporting structure, handle bars carried by said lever, said handle bar lever also having an extending arm, a link connection between said seat lever and the extending arm of the handle bar lever to cause the handle bars to be moved in synchronism with the seat but in opposite directions, a cam shaft, a rotatable cam affixed thereon, a roller carried by the seat lever intermediate its ends bearing against said cam whereby the levers will be actuated when said cam is rotated, pedals rotatably mounted in a portion of the supsaid pedalsand the cam shaft.

4. Exercising apparatus comprising supporting structure, a seat ,lever pivotally mounted on said supporting structure, a seat carried by said lever, a rhandle bar lever pivotally mounted on said supporting structure, handle bars carried by saidV lever, said 'handle bar lever also having an extending arm., a link connection between said seat lever and the extending arm of the handle bar lever to cause the handle bars to be moved in synchronism with the seat but in opposite directions, a rotatable cam, a roller carried by the seat lever intermediate its ends bearing against said cam whereby the levers will be actuated when said cam is rotated, a shaft upon which said caml is secured, a speed reduction gear, and a motor for driving said cam shaft through said speed reduction gear.

5. Exercising apparatus comprising supporting structure, a seat lever pivotally mounted on said supporting structure, a seat carried by said lever. a handle bar lever pivotally mounted on said supporting structure, handle bars carried by said lever, said handle bar lever also having an extending arm, a link connection between said seat lever and an extending arm of the handle bar lever to cause the handle bars to be moved in synchronism with the seat but in opposite directions, a rotatable cam, a roller carried by the seat lever intermediate its ends bearing against said cam whereby the levers will be actuated when said cam is rotated, a shaft upon which said cam is Secured, a speed reduction gear, a motor for driving said cam shaft through said speed reduction gear, pedals rotatably mounted in a portion of the supporting structure, and driving means between said pedals and the cam shaft.

6. Exercising apparatus comprising a supporting structure, a seat carrying lever', a handle bar carrying lever, said levers being interlinked and having a pivotal mount with respect to the supporting structure, the interlinkage between said levers being such as to cause the seat and handle bar thereof to move in opposition, a transverse pedal carrying shaft, transmission means between said pedal carrying shaft and said levers, said transmission m-eans including a cam coacting with one of said levers for moving the same through one complete cycle for eac-h complete rotation of the cam, there being a speed multiplying driving transmission to the pedal carrying shaft to cause the pedal carrying shaft to revolve at greater speed than the cam.

'7. Exercising apparatus comprising a supporting structure, a seat carrying lever pivotally mounted thereon, a handle bar member carried on said supporting structure, an electric motor thereon, a worm gear driven therefrom including a worm wheel, a shaft mounting said worm Wheel, a cam mounted upon said shaft, said seat carrying lever having a part directly driven from said cam to cause the seat lever to pivot forward and backward in the operation of the motor, a pedal carrying shaft mounted near the forward part of said supporting structure well forward of said seat carrying lever, pulleys respectively on the worm wheel and cam mounting shaft and on the pedal shaft, the former being larger than the latter, and a belt transmission therebetween.

8. Exercising apparatus comprising a supporting structure, a lever pivotally mounted at its lower end to said structure, said lever carrying a seat at its upper end, a handle bar carrying lever porting structure, and driving means between pivotally mounted upon said supporting structure at a point above the mounting pvot of the seat carrying lever, and a link interconnecting said levers at points respectively above the'mounting pivot of the seat carrying lever and below the mounting pivot of the handle bar carrying lever, a pedal carrying shaft in front of said seat carrying lever, a Jtransverse cam shaft on said supporting' structure having a cam coacting with the seat carrying lever and a driving belt between the cam shaft and. the pedal carrying shaft, said belt engaging a larger pulley on the cam shaft and a 5 smaller one on the pedal shaft.

ALFRED W. TURNER. 'I'HOMAS V. GREENE. 

